Mechanical toy



June 30, 1931. w. w. HARRIS 1,811,929

MECHANICAL TOY Filed April "r. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WiHiarhWHarris B 16 x f I? 1 I A ORNEY,

June so, 1931,. w. w. HARms 92 MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 7, 192a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t1 NS '0 F. ifiE. I

' I NVE.NTOR Wi ham WHarris Ai; ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM W. HARRIS, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS MECHANICAL TOY Application filed April 7,1928. Serial No. 268,297.

This invention relates to mechanical toys. My invention is directed primarily'to manually operated toys, and prefer. bly by rotary motion; however, as will be apparent to those skilled in the. art from the disclosure herein animate-objects, as for illustration, boxers in pugilistic contests, a waddling duck, and the like.

Specifically, as applied to dual or other multiple figures, the actuated parts of my invention comprise a shaft mounted for rotary movement and relatively displaced shaft portions to which the dual figures are respectively secured, whereby upon rotation of the shaft relative movements are imparted to the dual figures in similitude of boxing or like movement. When my invention is applied to a single figure, a to and fro or reciprocating lateral movement is imparted'to the figure in similitude of Waddling, or the like. I

Further features and objects of my invention will be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawings in which I Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away, illustrating a pugilistic contest;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of the rotary shaft as viewed at difierent positions of the shaft;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are respectively end views of Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

Fig. '9 is'a perspective view-of a' single figure toy, such as a waddling duck, mounted on a movable support and actuated by a shaft similarly as in the preceding'figures.

"Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation or section line 1010, Fig. 9, illustrating the movable support and shaft; this figure also shows a modification Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of Figs. 9

and *10; and

' Figs. 1-2 and 13 are toy'figures of a bear and a punching bag supplemental to the-embodimentillustrated in'Figs 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, in particular, my invention as embodied in a-dual figure form, such as a pugilistic contest, comprises the shaft 10 rotatively mounted adjacent its opposite ends 11, 12, in any suitable bearing support, such as in openings in the legs 18, 1 1 of the platform 15 representing-the arena. The arena is shown as bounded by the ropes 16 which are mounted in the four corner posts 17. Y e

The crankshaft 10 is rotated in any suitable manner and preferably manually by means of a finger piece 18, as in the form of an elongated knurled head. The crankshaft 10 is bent or formed at a plurality of locations to provide for shaft portions at such locations whichattain relative movement with respect to one another upon the rotation of the shaft. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the shaft isbent at two locations 19 and 20 to formconnecting rod-bearing portions, suitably, spaced from one another for the proper support of figures representing boxers or other appropriate figures; the portion of the shaft intermediate the bent shaft portions is designated 21. 1

As one. form of suitable support for thefigure, 1 have illustrated the clip members 22, which may be duplicates of one another, secured at their ears 23 to the respective shaft portions 19 and 20, and having sockets provided at their upper ends 24 for receiving the supporting projections 25 of the toy figures 26, '27 respectively. The upper socketends 24: ofthe clip members 22 project through the slots 28, 29 in the platform 15 of the arena.

The positions of the parts shown in full outline in Fig. 2, correspond to those illustrated in Fig. 1, in sideelevation. Figs. 3 4 and 5 illustrate further views of bent shaft formations of crankshaft 10,'as isshown in Figs. 1 and 2. From these several views it will be apparent one connecting rod-bearing portion, say 19, is bent to have azpart thereof extending in a certain direction transverse to the axis of the crankshaft 10, and the complemental connecting rod-bearing portion 20 similarly bent butin the opposite transverse direction. Such mutual relation between the shaft portions provides for substantially du plicate motions of the figures which ensure successively and provide for the movements of the dual figures, at one instant, on one side of the vertical plane passing through the axis of the shaft, and at the next instant, on the opposite side of such vertical plane. Such particular movements as viewed by any ob server, affects the appearance, firstly, of the right hand boxer succeeding in landing a blow and at the next moment showing the opponent to be similarly successful.

By operating the toy manually, the rate of rotation and variations of rate of rotation are manually controlled, thereby enabling the operator to exercise his skill in causing the figures to move to produce desired and varied fistic efiects.

It will be understood that in other types of toys, the relative positions of the bent shaft portions and their spacing and the particular angles of bending are chosen to obtain the desired movements.

The toy figures 26, 27 are interchangeable by reason of the removable securement of the same in respective clip members 22. In a similar manner, other figures may be substituted for the toy figures 26, 27, such as in representation of girls in pugilistic or other dress, animals, such as kangaroos, or a bear figure 28, such as is illustrated in Fig. 12. Such substitution of figures enables contests to be had between a human toy figure and an animal toy figure.

I have also illustrated a punching bag figure 29, see Fig. 13, having the representation 30 of a punching bag mounted on a coiled spring 31, the lower end 82 of which is provided with a supporting projection 25. Vi hen the punching bag 30 is positioned on a clip 22, as with a human or animal toy figure boxing in practice, the spring 31 imparts a rotary movement as well as a reciprocatory movement to the bag 30, and thus producing highly interesting results.

In the aforesaid figures of human and animal or like representation, the figures may be made of sheet metal by punching or otherwise, and suitably painted. The parts of the arena may be also made of metal. It is desirable to provide a self-contained receptacle for the various toy figures, which is advantageously carried out by locating under the platform 15 a receptacle 33 having a 'door 3% shown hinged at 35.

My aforesaid invention is also applicable to single figuretoys, as in the form ofa. waddling duck represented in Fig. 9. In this form of my invention, the duck toy figure 36 is mounted on the clip 37 which is secured by its ears 23 to the bent connecting rod-bearing portions 19a-20a of the crankshaft 11. In this form of my invention, the crankshaft 11 serves as the shaft of the rollers 38 for the movable platform 39, which is manually drawn by the pull string 40 or other suitable means. In this form of my invention, the bent connecting rod-bearing porions 19a, 20a comprise the connecting rodbearing portion 19a corresponding substantially to the bent connecting rod-bearing portion 19 of the crankshaft construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, and further the bent connecting rod-bearing portion 20a which in this instance is directly connected to the shaft portion 1960, that is to say, with- -out any intermediate or connecting shaft portion 21; furthermore, such bent connecting rod-bearing portion 20a is substantially in alignn'ient with said bent connecting rodbearing portion 19a.

By locating the ears 23 at the respective bent connecting rod-bearing portions 19a and 20a, that is to say, on opposite sides of the intersection of the axis of the shaft 11, the respective ears 23 are oscillated laterally in opposing directions, whereby the clip 37 is given a reciprocatory lateral movement.

In this form of my invention the clip 37 is not of the socket form as is illustrated for the clip 22 appearing in Figs. 1 and 2, and in this instance has a pointed end 41 to be received in the socket 42 which in this case is carried by the duck figure 36.

As is apparent from Fig. 10, the outline 36 may be an open wire frame for removably carrying the figure of a doll, or an inflated rubber to-y figure, such as dolls, animals and the like.

From the above, it will be apparent that my invention provides for a crankshaft having a plurality of bent connecting rod-bearing portions, each portion disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft; such bent connecting rod-bearing portions may either be segregated from one another, that is to say, interconnected by an intermediate portion disposed at one side of the axis of the shaft, or such bent connecting rod-bearing portions may be substantially continuous, that is to say, without suchlinter mediate or connecting portion, combined with toy figure means, either of multiple or single form, and preferably removable and interchangeable, combined with supporting and motion imparting means comprising either multiple clips or a single clip, or equivalent, attachedto said bent connecting rodbearing portions by ears or equivalent attaching means. In the employment of dual, i. e. segregated bent connecting rod-bearing portions, two figures are employed, each clip in such instance extending from one side to. the opposite side of the axis of the crankshaft and thereby providing for opposing lateral movements of the clips alternately on opposing sides of a vertical plane passing through the axis, and therewith of the toy figures, whereas in the employment of continuous bent connecting rod-bearing portions, a single clip is attached to the same at opposite sides of the axis, thus imparting oscillatory movement to the single toy figure.

In the illustrated embodiments of my invention, the bent connecting rod-bearing portions 19, 20, in the instance illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, are disposed symmetrically relative to the axis of the shaft, and similarly with respect to the bent connecting rod-bearing portions 19a and 20a in the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11; however, such bent connecting rod-bearing portions may be disposed on opposite sides of the axis of the crankshaft in non-symmetrical relation to one another, to thereby provide for differential oscillatory or reciprocatory movements of the toy figures or the like upon rotation of the crankshaft.

As appears from Fig. 2, by comparison of the full outlines of the top figures 26, 26, the same assume positions alternately crossing the axis of the crankshaft in opposite directions when the shaft is rotated 180 angular degrees, thus causing each clip 22, 22 and its toy figure to oscillate, i. e. rotate to and fro over a short are about a vertical axis.

The slots for the clips in the dual arrang' ment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 serve to prevent the clips 22 from dropping over laterally of the crankshaft, as is similarly the case in the slots 41a of the embodiment of Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

Vhereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it Will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a toy, the combination of a platform provided with slot means, a crankshaft rotatably mounted below said platform, said shaft having a plurality of connecting rodbearing portions disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft, clip means attached to said bent shaft portions and projecting through said slot means, and toy means supported by said clip means so as to reciprocate in vertical planes disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft.

2. In a toy, a crankshaft having a plurality of rod-bearing portions disposed at angles to the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft and arranged around the axis of said crankshaft with an angular spacing of less than 180 degrees apart, a platform provided With apertures, toy means extending through said apertures, and clips for connecting said portions to toy means for imparting multiplanar motion thereto.

3. In a toy, a crankshaft having a plurality of rodbearing portions disposed at angles to the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft and arranged around the axis of said shaft with an angular spacing of substantially 90 degrees apart, a platform provided With apertures, toy means extending through said apertures, and clips for connecting said portions to toy means for imparting multiplanar motion thereto.

4. In a toy, a crankshaft having a plurality of rod-bearing to the longitudinal axis of said crankshaft, a platform provided With a plurality of apertures, a plurality of toy figures, and means for attaching said toy figures respectively through said apertures to said connecting rod-bearing portions to cause said toy figures to move in more than one plane When said crankshaft is rotated.

5. In a toy, a platform provided With apertures, shaft means rotatably disposed below said platform, said shaft means having a plurality of rod-bearing portions disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means, toy means and clips for connecting said portions to said toy means adapted to project upwardly through said apertures in said platform, said toy means being removably connected to said clips.

In testimony whereof I havesigned this specification this 10 day of March 1928.

WILLIAM W. HARRIS.

portions disposed at an angle 

